Caste Struggle Vs Class Struggle

Caste Struggle Vs Class Struggle​

By: Amit Bhushan Date:15th Dec. 2017

The topic may deceive, but needs to be understood in the context of India. Traditionally the class struggle is associated only with socialist/communist mind-sets and is generally about workers vs. businesses. The challenges posed by consumers to businesses or small investors to businesses as in the USA is not deemed as some class struggle. This is even when it resulted in somewhat more sustainable economic impact but still not classified as class struggle in history probably because the political Netas in the USA wanted to keep the leaders of the struggle on the margins. Unlike the USA, the challenge in India for similar struggle is humoungous. This may be on many counts but foremost being that the businesses (especially smaller businesses) here are perceived to be non-compliant with laws as well as taxes and follow practices that put consumers to huge disadvantages. The Real Estate sector is a shining example wherein one may put his/her life’s savings in a single transaction but is not sure of the promised delivery or even if one gets the same, its quality is hardly the same as committed. The rent seeking businesses often collude with politico-bureaucrats-goonda nexus to corner projects or assets away from public gaze (mining or public works/PPP etc.). So the equality for distribution of opportunity is also something where the Netas need to come clean. In short there is little to write about as far as the Class struggle (in India, of the variety explained) is concerned as it is almost a finished battle. Complexity of the government structure including taxation, lack of enforcement of contracts, delay in judicial actions as well as corrupt investigative machinery having little credibility, said it all. Top of it was the penchant of the Netas in opposition to either sing Ram-dhun or strike/dharna-raj serving little purpose, whatsoever. The commercial news media remained busy depicting their master’s orders with alacrity and its special love to promote ‘identity politics’ (as viewed from the spectacles of the Netas) rather than ‘issues’ from an ordinary viewer’s/reader’s/voters perspective is well known. The last being more of a cultural thing to do with idol worshipping probably, rather than any special efforts made by the Netas to persuade the journos.

The Class struggle (of the kind mentioned) is unknown in India however there seems to be some attempts being made to ring some bell here, howsoever feeble. This is by trying to balance some of the interest on economic lines. There has been a new Tax law which is perceived to be making life difficult for evaders although it might be a bit early for the jury to be out on this. Then we have a law on RERA which in theory streamlines the residential projects in manner that might be more customer friendly and again it might be a bit early for the jury to be out on this too. Some state ministers might seem to be championing that but this could be a mere media projection rather than actual delivery and in any case is limited to specific geographies rather than being widespread to have any meaningful impact. Then there are also news reports on e-tendering of government projects as well as online conduct of many operations free of manual ‘interventions’ from civil servants, although it is yet to be discerned about the depth to which it has taken roots in center as well as states/local government and its overall impact. There have been some news report that the government in some states may be attempting to establish special courts for commercial contract cases however this is yet to be see the light of the day. There has been little strengthening of the consumer courts or the effectiveness so far with pendency increasing as ever. Also the education system with its responsibility to equip students to participate and interact with other systems, is in tatters and the public awareness mechanism (read commercial news media) having little credibility in this regards. The businesses, whether small or big, still feel shy of investing to improve compliance as they fear it would erode their competitiveness as the non-compliant ones may score over them. The losses in electricity transmission or poor tax filings is a shining example for this. The reason may be manifold but it may boil down to the cost of either keeping the laws too complicated, complex bureaucratic structures or the judiciary and associated investigative machinery too weak & ineffective. The political complicity of the Neta-bureaucrats and mixing of the goonda elements with them, has taken its toll. The role of banks to keep the interest of only the large borrowers in mind rather spreading their risks widely is also a case in point and this has added further complexity including further hazing of the matters. Many of the points in the paragraph are an issue (in these articles), but the businesses wanting to obfuscate the matter would not prefer these stories to be taken up by the commercial news media. These may be perhaps the only points material towards the re-election of the Netas, however requires much work for any substantial delivery and there might also be need to raise the confidence level in Netas regards the same. A weak mechanism of awareness (read ‘the commercial news media’) busy with Ram-dhun or Caste wars or identity promotions is hardly capable of strengthening the case being made here.

The elections in India’s western state balances the ‘identity politics’ for some time for sure. Although some attempts would be made to draw conclusions linking results to Ram related issues to keep the polity confused. Also the impact of the Caste combinations would tend to get over stated as is the usual practice with a supportive commercial news media where intelligentsia fails to question the logic or tends to get balanced with the Ram-related arguments only. Whatever the results, not one commercial news media channel would mention that the Ram-dhun was being sung quite loudly through-out the campaign including from people in high chairs, and that the results whatever they may be are in spite of that. Also the Caste-lineage were also equally overstated and these positions on Ram-dhun as well as Caste can’t go louder than that considering the increasing ‘costs’ of the ‘volunteers’. There are also unlikely to be any clear winners or losers since stats would be exploited by both sides keen to save face in the bitterly faught elections testing almost ‘all images’. However the penchant of supporting businesses to seek benefits from political relationships with the Netas in government ensures that the theme of Ram-dhun as well as Caste is maintained and emotional capital is invested in right proportion via an ever pliant commercial news media to keep the regular debates completely off-track.

We now have themes emerging in the commercial news media. One is that of the Caste struggle wherein all ills in the society are viewed from the angle of caste so that the readers/viewers can be made to understood about their ongoing woes in its light. The near impossibility of breaking away from such barrier is exploited. The other theme which might be a running theme is that of a Class struggle wherein the struggle of common man is seen from their poverty level and/or access to resources. The man in the lower Class or economic strata is again treated shabbily by the system with little support from the law thus being the reason for his/her woes. An analysis of the media might be required to depict the theme followed by it, while analyzing the situation or a story. There may however be some complications (for an average viewer) on account of focus to cover different kind of stories (in the media) rather than the same story from different viewpoints. On one side (Caste struggle), the theme is likely that administration has failed to maintain the balance between different castes and the need is to balance the same via better voting, of course. The other side is Class struggle which would depict the administrative lacunae resulting in lack of adequate resources for people and thus penury with the votes being sought to ensure ‘better results in future’ or even an ‘relative improvement in delivery’. There might also be stories of common interest like the state of educational institutions, or poor returns to farmers etc. or where both the factors might be absent like pollution.

Of the two themes, the Class struggle story is weaker (relative to Caste struggle) primarily on account of mixing of the Ram-dhun as well as identity politics, as they fail to focus on issues and solutions in an objective manner. The confusion of the Netas, bureaucrats & experts (including the commercial news media) is appalling and some of the stronger ‘identity’ Netas (Swayam Bhu kinds) as well as those singing Ram-dhun ensures dilution of the ‘common’ agenda, if there is one at all. The hardened Nationalistic rhetoric might be on account of an overall weaker narrative in all probability and hardly a signal of being in power/control. The business supporters looking for short-cuts and its support amongst obliging Neta-bureaucrat nexus tends to put this story to an end even before it may have begun. This is because of a failure to understand that while the businesses want profits and sometimes tend to fall to unscrupulous mechanisms for the same, however at the very base level what is a ‘must’ is a ‘fair playing field’ for all of them or a very good majority of them, for sure. Absence of the same ensures killing of any story whatsoever as has been the case so far and therefore it is important for the Netas to deliver an equitable playing field creditably in the first place rather than obliging friends/supporters and this may call for some sacrifices from may be relatively bigger business supporters. As of the Netas in government, this could be delivered via better distribution of credit to small units so that they can expand rather than continued concentration of credit in a few hands. Other means can be ensuring a fair distribution of projects including PPP and say mining assets, maintenance of law and order for smooth run of businesses and restoring credibility of the investigative machinery/police. Encouraging the businesses to invest in improving their level of compliance by ensuring that it helps in expansion, might be the trick to boost overall confidence levels.

The campaigning and polls in the Western state has been a watershed. This tends to rip open the fault-lines in the (overall) Class-struggle theme with vulnerable parts being exposed. That is - some of the Netas may be gunning for ‘only the partial victory’ for the Class struggle may be alongside strong dosage of the Ram-dhun, implying that select businesses could have free run while the ordinary public engages in some of the most enchanting Ram-bhajans. However the Caste-struggle theme has had a very long run and therefore would need some convincing to do including much more precision strikes on the fault-lines of the Class-struggle theme. This part seems to have been widely understood by the Netas and seems much more likely going forward. What is however not sure is the Class-struggle theme taking roots in the commercial news media since it requires dilution of the Ram-dhun propaganda and keeping an overall introspection on its deliveries. In any case the strengthening of institutional structures like the consumer courts or say an Ombudsman for Telecom/Broadband/DTH or other ways of empowering the struggling classes is not be taken up or even thwarted under some guise or the other. So there seems questions regards any principled position being taken by its proponents. The other challenge is around getting the Netas and their business supporters to follow the existing laid down law and procedures for this would also end the free run desired by quite a few of these elements. The free run of these businesses is much more likely to be exploited as ‘corruption’ cases in polity with public opinion built around same for the Caste-struggle proponents going forward. However, what seems much more likely is more of hardening of the Ram-dhun and possible attempts to shore up ‘identities’ either through some mock build-up via choreographed sessions or running down identities of competitors in politics since that is what would suit the commercial news media much more. It may then be followed up with the ‘kiss and make-up’ between businesses and the Netadom. Let’s see the ‘Game’ evolve further…..

 

[Swaswati Borpuzari]

The concepts of caste struggle and class struggle are both rooted in sociological and political theories that aim to understand and address the inequalities within societies. Caste struggle, primarily associated with the social hierarchy found in ancient and medieval Indian society, revolves around the rigid and hereditary division of people into distinct groups, each with its own set of privileges, occupations, and social status. This system, codified in religious and cultural texts, often leads to significant disparities in wealth, education, and opportunities, which can be deeply entrenched and resistant to change. On the other hand, class struggle is a broader and more globally recognized concept, especially within Marxist theory, which focuses on the conflict between different economic classes—typically the bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production) and the proletariat (workers). This struggle is driven by the unequal distribution of resources and power in capitalist societies, and it is often seen as a fundamental dynamism that propels social and economic change.

While caste struggle is more specific to the cultural and religious context of certain societies, class struggle is a more universal concept that can be applied to various socioeconomic structures around the world. Caste-based discrimination is often legally and socially enforced, making it a more visible and immediate issue for those affected. In contrast, class struggle can be more subtle, manifesting through economic policies, labor relations, and access to political power. Despite these differences, both concepts highlight the ways in which societal structures can perpetuate and exacerbate inequality, leading to social tensions and movements aimed at reform or revolution. The solutions proposed for these struggles also differ; caste struggle often requires legal reforms and social initiatives to dismantle traditional hierarchies, while class struggle may involve economic restructuring, unionization, and political action to redistribute wealth and power.

In modern times, the lines between caste and class can sometimes blur, as economic factors can influence social status and vice versa. For example, in India, while the caste system remains a significant factor in social stratification, economic class has also become increasingly important. Similarly, in many other parts of the world, cultural and ethnic identities can intersect with economic class, complicating the dynamics of social inequality. Understanding these intersections is crucial for developing comprehensive policies and movements that address the multifaceted nature of social and economic disparities. Both caste and class struggles serve as critical lenses through which we can examine and challenge the unfair distribution of resources and opportunities in society, ultimately striving for a more equitable and just world.